Affiliation
by H-MangaEnthusiast
Summary: Welcome to a world where the air you breathe is mine.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer – Evangelion is not mine. Go figure?

-XXX-

Tokyo 3 High was the fifth biggest creation of modern architecture in the whole region. On the first look it could be easily mistaken for government's chair, company building or mall complex, but from the closer look anyone could figure what it's all about. It was an exquisite sight. You could see courts, swimming pool, and immense frontal garden filled with beautiful sakura trees in their early bloom. The decorations were simple, the walls were clean white and its structure gave it an elegant look that could easily mach any elite private school in the state. The passage leading to its front entrance was already filled with hundreds of loud teenagers.

Mana Krishima found herself dumbfounded as she moved her gaze from the pamphlet. The school was definitely bigger than it seemed to be. It was almost impossible not to spot it, but it still took her good thirty minutes to find her way. How did that happen?

Mana shrugged, then joined the wave of students moving in her direction, keeping her gaze on the pathway since the bodies blocked her view. Its design was surprisingly on the same level as everything else. Stone motifs were pretty, and neatly trimmed bushes on the sides gave it refreshing, natural feeling. She liked it. Its atmosphere was more pleasing than any other public walkway.

She observed the people among her. It was impossible not to notice the guy with half shaved head, some guy who walked like zombie, that other guy that looked like one and three yankee girls babbling about something. They came in all sorts and colors. Some of them may even be her future classmates.

The moment has finally come, her inner enthusiast announced. Since she moved in Tokyo 3 last Friday she was all alone at home for the whole weekend. She spent the most of it on her couch; devouring chips while either watching TV, playing videogames or lurking around online chat rooms. It was bearable, but without anyone around it got boring pretty fast. Not the mention the risk of gaining extra fat if she continued her routine.

That would story as of today. Her goal for was simple: blend in and find some new friends. Piece of cake. Probably.

After a minute of walking she stopped in front of the entrance. She looked above to read the sign on top of the gates but was interrupted in the next second by the train of people that pushed her in with the rest.

The inside was even more confusing than the outside. The hallway was huge, yet it wasn't even closely enough for all the people that swarmed it. She had no choice but to join one train and hope to find her designated classroom as she walked.

_Like walkway wasn't suffocating enough_, she thought as she fought her way through masses of students. It seemed like everyone knew where to go except her. It was so loud that she couldn't even hear her own thoughts. The bell made things even worse. The moment the sound was heard everyone around her quickened their pace and almost crushed her.

The space around her tightened and she felt like she was running out of air. She was getting irritated with someone behind her who constantly pushed her in the guy in front. The assailant pushed her again and cursed loudly.

"Jerk," she muttered as she pushed her way from him.

She barely managed to find a small, clear spot by the windows to catch some breath. On her way there she received at least three elbow strikes, shoulder in the back of her head and at least ten people stepped on her foot, not to mention the harsh words from some passing upperclassmen.

She muttered a curse, nursing the small bruise on her arm. She glanced on her clock. It was 8. 01; she was already one minute late. She sighted. Finding her way like this would be impossible. She knew that she wasn't good in the crowded space, and that her sense of direction sucked. Bottom line: in chase of earthquakes she was doomed.

After a while the crowd completely disappeared, leaving her completely alone in the hallways. As much as she was delighted, she was still four minutes late. She shook hear head, then gave herself a light tap on the cheeks and put her game face on.

She was looking for a classroom 2-E, and she had no idea where to even start. There were at least three or four school wings, each of them with at least three floors. Great. She went in the right wing, hoping to either find her classroom or someone who could point her in the right direction.

She did her best. She ran, jumped, occasionally stopped to check her hair in the window, slid down the rails, and at the end of her strength finally found her designated classroom. She stopped in front of the doors, then fell on her knees and panted till her breathing stabilized.

She glanced on her clock; she was ten minutes late. Damn. This was awkward. The sensei probably forgot all about her, and now, without a formal introduction, she'll have to knock and do it all herself.

"Hey, I'm transfer student, and apparently I'm a klutz. I'm really sorry." She mimicked silently, trying not to cause an echo.

She hoped that sensei wasn't the unforgiving type. Fortunately, the doors had a window-like glass in her height she could easily use to peek inside. She climbed on her toes and saw an older man, bound to be her new sensei, standing behind his desk pointing at something on the blackboard.

The gray haired man looked like he was in his late sixties. He didn't look scary at all. In fact, it was just the opposite. His face was relaxed and he held like an army officer with hands behind his back. Even from the outside she could feel that military discipline he emitted. Her father would probably like this guy.

The man suddenly turned and met her gaze. Mana stepped back from the doors and quickly covered her mouth, hoping this wouldn't end in the weird way.

The man just smiled, then cleared his throat and spoke to the class. "Class, you'll have to forgive me but I forgot something important again," he said innocently, earning some frowns and chuckles from the teenagers. The man cleaned his throat, silencing his pupils completely.

"Today you're getting a new classmate," he announced, sending the class back in motion. He cleaned his throat again, killing their arising questions. "Come on in, dear." he called her.

Mana swallowed, then opened the doors and entered, causing a series of whistles from male population. The back seats whispered and some of them howled like animals.

"Class, behave," the man roared, then turned to face Mana. "So, my dear, had a problem finding us?"

"Yes," She replied meekly, feeling a bit embarrassed, and at the same time feeling relieved for not being scolded on her first day.

"It's nothing. It happens to me all the time. Heck, without Miss. Horaki I'd probably forget how to find this classroom. It's my age." he joked, making both her and her peers chuckle and breaking the most of her tension.

"Nonsense, Fuyutsuki-sensei. You're in your best years." the boy in the jock tracksuit commented.

"That's very kind of you, Mr. Suzahara," The man replied, "However, flattery won't get you a D on your essay."

"Can't blame me for trying."

Fuyutsuki smiled, then turned back to Mana. "Now then, be kind and introduce yourself, young lady."

She chalked her name on the blackboard, then turned to face the class and bowed. "My name is Mana Kirishima. Pleasure to meet you."

The class gave her a polite reception.

_This wasn't so bad_, Mana thought as the rest of the nervousness drifted away.

"Be nice to her, class. I don't want to see anyone talking now. You can chat all you want after the class is over. Understood?"

"Yes, sensei," students replied in unison.

"I'm sorry, Miss. Mana, but I'm afraid we're lacking an open seat for you." Fuyutsuki said, looking around the classroom, "I'm afraid you'll have to use the seat of absent Mr. Ikari for today. I hope it's not a problem?"

"No," Mana replied with a shake of her head. "I'm fine with it."

"Ok then," Fuyutsuki said, pointing at the open seat. "I believe his laptop is not password protected. Feel free to use it until we get you your own."

"Yes," she replied, then took a seat. She was glad she didn't accidentally slip that _sir_ as she always used to. It was an awkward downside of having a father in the military.

The class got back on its previous course. Mana opened her laptop only to find thirty new messages blocking her desktop.

The first one said: Do you have a boyfriend? Y/N

_Typical_, Mana thought. She would have to think about this one. She couldn't afford to make the same mistake again. In her previous school all her friends were boys, and in the school before, and the one before that one. She was fifteen now. There was no more tomboy. At her age people called it _slut_, as untrue as it was people saw it like that. She knew that much.

There was no harm in answering this one with no. She typed it.

The next one was about her underwear color. She ignored that one, and the next one about her bra size. The third one was from female under the name 'classprezH'. It was only a polite welcome and warning about the lurking perverts in class. She replied with kind words, then sent a heart. _Girly stuff_. She did the rest to every other female peer.

She got back to the boy's messages.

One asked her about her type. She didn't even want to answer that one. She tripped on this one too many times.

I don't know, she wrote after a brief moment. She skipped through the most and replied to few nonsensical ones. Her goal wasn't to communicate with boys. There was plenty of time for that later, but first thing was first; females. For now none of them tried to engage a conversation. It was a bit discouraging but females were usually like that. Probably.

Mana looked around herself, catching few males staring. She only smiled at them, making some of them look away in embarrassment. That, however, wasn't her intention. She wanted to check what girls were doing, and apparently they were all busy in their studies.

She realized that this was her first day and she was already slacking, while the rest were following lectures as they should. This school was quite elite, so it wouldn't be surprising if the girls were more mature and well behaved. After all, they were fifteen. This was probably normal at this age. She decided to follow their example.

After three minutes she realized that it didn't go too well. Fuyutsuki-sensei was a nice guy, but his lectures were something else completely. She returned to her laptop, since she noticed that everyone else was doing the same, all except for one gray haired guy in the front seat that liked to intervene in the middle of each sensei's sentence. She couldn't figure if he was one of those clever guys or just pretentious smartass.

Mana shrugged, then moved her attention back on her laptop. She wasn't in position to initiate a conversation herself. Messaging a random girl was not an option. She'd only look intrusive, and there was also a chance that she wouldn't like the girl afterwards. She would take it easy; after all, she was bout to speak to at least one girl during the break. There was no need to rush things.

She scrolled down the chat rooms. There were plenty of them, and she noticed that all female-like names were together in one password protected room, GO2E (girls of 2-E), creator Soryu. Interesting. Maybe they weren't as diligent as she thought they were.

She noticed that room they used worked on invite only system. She hoped she would get it by the end of the day. Though, nothing she could do about it now.

She spent the rest of the class idly observing her classmates. They were an interesting bunch, and they came in all sorts of colors, making the experience more exciting than she hoped for.

After twenty minutes the bell sounded, dismissing the class on five minute break. Their sensei left the classroom, enabling the students to go wild. In just few seconds everyone was already at someone else's desk. A lot of groups formed, and some even left the class, probably searching for their friends in other nearby classes.

Most of the girl gathered around the bench in front of her, more precisely, around one girl with red hair. She decided not to think much of it. It was too soon to make weird assumptions. Though, she did feel left out.

She got eyed by every girl at least once, but none of them made any move or attempt to befriend her. Why did she feel ignored? They all looked at her, few even smiled, but they kept standing there like statues. It was like someone ordered them not to move.

What was that familiar feeling of alienation?

She didn't know what to think of it anymore. The moment she felt like standing up and going for it the redhead in front turned in her seat and faced her directly.

"Hy. Sorry to keep you waiting. My name is Asuka Langley Soryu." The redhead told her, offering her a hand. Mana was thrown off balance but managed to hold her composure.

_Soryu, that's the name of girl's group creator_, Mana realized.

"Pleasure to meet you," Mana replied, taking her hand. The fact that they kept her waiting for some reason never left hear head.

"The next break is longer than this one, and since you're a newcomer I was wondering if you'd need someone to show you the way. You can walk with us. I know this school so I can show you pretty much everything there is around here."

"Thank you. I'd love to," Mana replied cheerfully. She felt like hugging the girl for killing her paranoia.

"Okay. See you then." Asuka smiled, then turned back to the other girls.

_She's pretty_, Mana noticed. No. Pretty was a wrong word. She looked like a princess. A queen? Well, one thing was certain: she wasn't going to get in their little circle just by being present in their class. How stupid she was to think that? She was an outsider they saw for the first time. What was she expecting anyway? A welcoming party? They were probably going to test her or something, see if she was worth the time.

Her train of thoughts was soon interrupted by the laud bell and sudden arrival of their sensei. After only few seconds everyone was at their seats and the class was back on track.

Not too long into it Mana got bored, then spaced out completely. She would make up for this at home, and besides, she'd probably get pardoned on her first week. She doubted that Fuyutsuki-sensei was the one who pushed them to the limit.

She spent time swirling her short, auburn hair, looking around the class and occasionally surpassing her laugh when one of the males made puns or made humorous comments. They were hilarious, yet not one of her female peers laughed. She followed their example.

She did the same for good twenty minutes until she started to notice things about her desktop.

When she looked at it more thoughtfully, she realized that it looked far better than hers, which wasn't something special. Hers was pretty much consisted of the simplest image with random folders scattered everywhere. This screen, however, had a beautiful wallpaper image she wanted to use herself. Every folder, named in some sort of special nomenclature, was neatly distributed around every corner, together with similar ones, and it all blended well with the screen's image. This was professionally organized, and it belonged to a boy? Damn.

She got an idea how to spend some time. She did decide not to hang out around guys, but it didn't mean that she shouldn't know them. Logically. She started to wonder how much she could learn about this one from his laptop, put some of her father's teachings into practice. What was the name again? Ikani?

She searched around the files, prepared to find some dirty videos or pictures. Though, after she scanned them over completely, she realized that she was wrong. His folders were clean. There were no erotic videos, images or anything similar. Sadly, there wasn't anything that gave hints of his character. For now he was and orderly guy that really liked to have his things clean.

His internet browsing history might be another story? Mana realized that she shouldn't be invading someone's personal space; however, she was curious, and bored.

She clicked around and found a lot of things. First off, the guy was definitely not browsing porn, like ever. On the marketplace sites he was checking retro games she liked as well, he looked for cheap cleaning products, something she couldn't explain with logic, and the rest was just normal boy things. She also found out that he had exquisite music taste. His browsing history was filled with classical pieces, a lot of cello performances, and whole lot of soft rock. If his name wasn't in the start menu she would definitely doubt the ownership of this laptop.

The bell ranged, almost giving her a heart attack. She must have spaced out completely. Everyone else was sighting in relief and rising from their seats. She realized that someone's personal life captivated her attention for whole 45 minutes without her even realizing it.

She shook her head, then rose from her seat. She could feel anxiousness and excitement creeping back on surface. She took a deep breath, then scanned the classroom. Asuka girl was nowhere in sight. Great. She probably left while she was spacing out, and was probably waiting for her outside with the rest, or at least Mana hoped she did.

Mana walked outside casually, trying not to look too enthusiastic. Asuka and two more girls were idly chatting by the lockers. She stepped closer and caught her attention.

"Kirishima?" Asuka called her with a short wave.

Mana approached, trying not to grin.

-XXX-

Asuka was right; she did know this school very well. She and other two girls lead her through the whole school, talking about everything there was to talk about. In only few minutes she learned about the most of the rumors and gossips that circled around. Asuka was the one who did the talking. The other two girls obediently followed behind her, either filling her stories or just agreeing with anything she said.

Mana followed beside her, since most of the telling was directed at her. She appreciated their gesture, however, she didn't feel like they were actually conversing. It was more of recruitment than anything else, one-sided info bomb with tips about what to do. Not to mention that they showed no interest in her beside few casual question about her previous whereabouts.

She didn't like it at all. Though, it wasn't the worst part. The worst was boredom. Everything they said was boring. She admirably pretended to be into it, but every smile and every nod she gave them was forced and faked. The clothes. The great life of Asuka Langley Soryu. The girl in neighbor class who apparently has a boyfriend that fucks her in the restroom every day. God. Enough.

She experimented by not listening for a minute, and as it turned out they barely noticed. Score? It was like they channeled words through her, but not at her. She found it crazy. When her interest was lost she started to wonder if she could secretly borrow a video game from that guy, and how would she pull it off without telling him that she browsed through his personal space.

_No. Shut up, Mana_, Mana told herself. _You can't start like that. You know what will happen. Pay attention. _

"And that imbecile Toji. Dear god, did you hear that retarded comment he made?" Asuka spat bitterly.

_You mean that hilarious dick joke? Barely contained myself_, Mana thought as she continued to direct her forced smile to the girl long gone in her rant.

"You know that Kensuke guy? The equally primitive ape as latter. Yes that guy. He's apparently ranking girls on some biased opinion of his." Asuka huffed. "Can you believe it?"

_I bet you're not top tier_, Mana thought.

"Horrible," She replied as convincing as she could. The other two girls did the same. She expected no less.

"I heard from Mayuri that he was seen creeping near the girl's changing room with his camera. Watch out for that one."

_I'll take this one to heart_, Mana thought. She nodded, then gave her mildly disgusted expression. They were fifteen now. High school students. Nothing less expected of male testosterone. The girls were different, though. She would get used to them.

They stopped at the cafeteria. Asuka announced that it was time for their lunch so they passed through the crowd and occupied the closest free table. Three more girls joined them the moment they were spotted.

Each of them unpacked their bento and started eating. Mana, however, had none of that. She had no idea how to cook, and neither did her father. Bentos were not a common thing in Kirishima residence. She was usually left with some money to provide herself.

Mana rose from her seat, adverting everyone's gaze on her. "I'll go grab myself something," She excused herself.

"You can have some of mine," Asuka offered all of a sudden.

"Really?" Mana asked in surprise, completely dumbfounded with the turn.

"Sure," Asuka smiled gently. "After all, we are friends now. And there's no way I'd manage to eat all of this." She said gesturing at her huge bento box. "Besides, I'm working on my figure."

"Wow. Thanks." Mana said cheerfully, trying not drool over her bento.

"Threat yourself," Asuka told her, pushing the bento in her way.

She did. Mana instantly took her chopsticks and picked herself a little bit of everything from its rich content. The rest of the girls did the same. Someone would think that girls don't speak with full mouth, but that someone was wrong. Even when eating she could hear a rumor about girl A having a boyfriend from school C, doing a thing with boy B from school E.

Sadly, the only one that really caught her interest was that Ikari guy, who wasn't even mentioned. Well, if she'd stick around this group it was bound to happen. She could infer that much.

She picked a meatball and ate it, then stopped. Its taste was something she couldn't even describe by words.

"You made this?" Mana asked with half-filled mouth.

Asuka eyed her. "Not really. I had someone make it for me?"

"It's excellent," Mana said, "Props to the chef. Whoever it is."

"You'll meet him," The girl on her right intervened.

"You're sitting in his desk," The girl across her spoke, hiding her expression behind glass of water, something that looked like she was evading something.

"Really?" Mana said, meeting eyes with Asuka. "Is he your…"

"-No," Asuka replied simply. "He's just making me bento. That's all."

Unlikely. Though, she decided not to pursue it. Her calm tone was emitting an aura that indicated trouble. Then again she barely spoke anything these last few minutes. She knew that no one liked to have a zombie at the table. If she kept silent the girls might get disappointed with her. She was still tested, still an unknown to them, so she should work on establishing some sort of good characteristics she could go by. One topic leads to another, and as it turned out Ikari is only topic she can partake in.

"Ikari, right?" Mana asked. "Heard about him around the class, yet no one told me anything about him. What's he like?"

"Why do you care?" Asuka asked in more serious tome, small hint of edginess in her voice. Mana realized that she should've seen this coming. Bad choice.

"Oh. Well, since I'm using his laptop without permission… I mean, I'm little worried."

"Oh." Asuka shrugged, then got back at her bento. "He won't do anything to you."

Mana was glad she dodged that one. She returned to her meal, but stopped when she noticed that other girls remained content, like they were in temptation.

They steadily followed every Asuka's move. She eyed them back, but made no action that indicated her disapproval. When it seemed that she showed no interest in the topic whatsoever the hell broke loose.

"I heard his father leads a large company."

"He's rich."

"I heard he works for the government."

"He's skipping classes. It's suspicious"

"I heard he lives alone."

"I head he works for the military."

"I heard he was seen with an older woman with purple hair."

Asuka suddenly cleaned her throat, silencing the pack more efficient that Fuyutsuki ever would. Mana had to give it to her; she was a natural leader and one hell of an authority.

Asuka looked away from her bento and caught Mana's eyes. "He's just a childish idiot that doesn't speak much. You'll see."

_I bet I will_, Mana thought, breaking the eye contact.

Silence swallowed the table and they all returned to their previous occupation; food. Mana prolonged the act, trying to enjoy the food's heavenly taste as long as possible. Soon after the atmosphere around the table stabilized. The girls continued with their mantra, while Mana sank in her fantasies. The feeling that someone was watching her never faded for a second.

-XXX-

It was 01;17, seventeen minutes passed since the classes for today ended. Mana was sitting idly in her desk, still observing the laptop before her. Her original intent was to stay longer in case that divine intervention in form of a female peer appeared and asked her to partake in any form of social activity. By the time her illusion was shattered she decided to wait for the sake of evading clusterfuck in the hallways.

The rest of her classes surprisingly passed quicker. She had a short, pleasant chit-chat with some girls. Some of them were just more fun than the others. She got to know a bit more details about some, and some of them got to know her a bit more, or at least her façade. She would just have to stick with the ones that suited her best and adapt as best as she could. That's how it will be, she realized.

She'd approve their queen, and for return she would enjoy the benefits of normal social life. Nothing wrong with that. No matter how boring it may be.

Rei Ayanami was a good example of disobeying the system. First time Mana even noticed her was near the end of the class. From what she could tell she's always sitting in the back, ignoring everyone's presence, and apparently vice-versa. The girls told her she had mental issues, had cancer, used drugs, and whored around. How verisimilar what that? Not much. She looked like ex-communicated lamb more than anything else. Though, her existence was not her concern. She was insignificant.

The class ended so she was left to herself. She took her things, put the laptop in the desk, then walked outside. The girls invited her at karaoke bar that would open by the next week. It was something she gladly accepted. For today she was still alone, but she made a significant progress. Maybe she didn't have a normal conversation or exchanged any phone numbers, but her existence was acknowledged.

The moment she stepped outside a girl approached her.

"Ms. Krisima?"

"Yes." Mana confirmed delightfully. "Oh. Ms. Horaki. Can I help you?"

_Please, please, please ask me to walk home with you, invite me to coffee, karaoke or just take my god damn number. _

"No." came her reply. Mana blinked. "I'm just here to give you the last month of lectures you missed." Hikari explained, handling her pile of papers. "And please, call me Hikari."

Mana put them in her bag, the look on her face remained unchanged. "You can call also me Mana."

"Okay." Hikari replied with a smile. "Goodbye, Mana." Hikari bowed, then excused herself.

"Wait," Mana called after her after a brief moment. Hikari turned in surprise. "I was just wondering… I mean, if we live in the same direction. I'm still not used to this place."

Hikari's face turned bright red. "Umm…I, I…ca-"

"Oy, class rep! Hurry up!" the boy from her class shouted. Mana recognized him instantly. It was their resident comedian, Toji or something. He's the guy that girls described as the worst of the worst.

The girl before her was still struggling with the words, waving her hands in front of her. "I… ummm…"

"-it's ok. Go for it." Mana winked, making Hikari's blush even brighter.

The moment Hikari tried to protest Mana turned and left, waving her off as she moved further away.

After a brief moment Hikari turned, then ran to the boy. Mana observed them from the corner of her eye till they slipped out of sight. She sighed.

_Still flying solo,_ Mana thought as she moved through the hallways. The only sound that could be heard was echo of her footsteps.

By the time she was out the school grounds were emptied out. It was tranquil and pleasant. She was glad she waited until it cleared out. She walked down the steps and continued down the walkway. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon, she noticed. A great time to go outside, have a drink, play some basketball or go home miserably. Such a beautiful day.

-XXX-

"I'm home," Mana called from the apartment's entrance. The reply didn't come.

She took off her shoes, turned the lights on, then moved to the fridge where she found the note. It said: _Sorry, sweetheart. I'll be away for the time being. Expect me at Saturday. If something comes up I'll contact you beforehand. Hope you made lots of friends. With love, Daddy. P.S. Money is on the counter. _

Mana crumpled the paper and threw it in the bin. Then she ate some leftover rice and drank a glass of water. It was horrible compared to bento she ate this morning. How did Asuka pull that off? Could she make Ikari to do her bento as well?

She took the bag of chips from the counter, then went in her room. She collapsed on the bed, opened her laptop, crawled beneath her silky sheets and started to surf in the dark.

She checked the news, read some articles, did some gaming, and exchanged some messages. It lasted for about half and hour before she got bored again. The history repeated itself. Over and over an over and over and over. She started to roll down her bed, hugging her pillow and kicking with her feet.

She conceded defeat by choosing sleep. A good afternoon sleep was just the thing she needed. She wouldn't even mind sleeping during the day all the time. Why not? She was more of a night owl anyway.

She did her best to keep her eyes closed but her excess of energy denied her of slumber, and probably will for the time being. She stared at her ceiling, hugging her pillow tight with her whole body. She knew exactly what to in times like this. Last night she could barely close her eyes from excitement, which resulted in three hours of chatting around the internet. It was a good night, not minding the amount of penises she saw. Maybe too little?

Sadly, it was the only way she could see any form of erotic content. Her dad knew a thing or two about internet restrictions. The moment she turned fifteen it appeared out of nowhere and stayed here for far too long. In a way she appreciated it, but at the moments like this she hated him from the bottom of her soul. Her imagination didn't serve her that well.

As she predicted, inspiration wasn't coming. The guys she knew were not exactly a proper material. They never really entered that category. That albino guy in the front was undeniably the closest thing to perfect bishounen she saw in years, but he didn't fit in her fantasy even the slightest. It just didn't feel natural for some reason. The rest of the guys in her class weren't holding up to her standard either. Few cute ones but nothing to write home about. It depended on her mood, and right now she had no idea what she wanted.

After a while she finally got an idea. She opened her laptop and searched her school's yearbook. Class 2-E. Name Ikari. She clicked and his image popped out. She didn't have to observe it for long. He had a pretty face. That would do.

Picturing him in her room wasn't hard. She had a face already. She knew little of his personality but imagined him as a nice guy. The body she imagined him was as normal as possible to keep it realistic. No scars. No prominent muscles either. Just a normal fifteen year old that wanted her as much as she wanted him. Soft skin. Pretty face. With few more details she was ready.

Mysterious stranger appeared in her room, naked like she was. Mana gently slid her hand down her belly, right into her panties. She passed through her short pubes and slowly rested her palm on her moisten lips. He got closer, giving her a full view of his erection that was ready to alleviate her problem.

He was on top of her, looking down at her crotch. Mana gestured by spreading her legs, drawing him closer. She started to rub, visualizing his erection at her entrance. He teased by moving it across her length, making her heat up too fast. He had to enter. She used her other hand to fondle her breast. He pressed, and she slid her two fingers in. Her fingers mimicked his every thrust.

Her inner muscles constricted, forcing him and her fingers deeper. She repeated the procedure until her silent moan ended her illusion. She relaxed and took a deep breath, allowing her body to calm down.

Her energy was fading with her vision. Her eyelids were getting heavier. She turned her head and saw his gentle face in the screen. He was the last thing she saw before fatigue sent her in the place where she would meet him again.

* * *

AN – I finally started something. Ahhh… feels great. Though, I doubt that I'll update in any near future. You know, exams n' shit. Anyway. Mana. Yay! Finally decided to abort every other thing I did lately and do some justice for this girl. And by justice I obviously meant making her into bipolar girl with still untouched daddy issues (maybe…) that may or may not be crazy. You know, the usual. Well, the future looks bright.

I think I somehow managed to keep her original feel of the game. Though, what do I know? You can tell me, sir.

Fact. There's not enough of this girl in this fandom. Seriously? WHY?

Blah. Thanks for reading. It won't be very long. 6 chapters max. And yeah, the ending. It's not my thing but I did it for the lolz. I really wonder if people prefer that or if I should just skip… I mean, this story is M… for a reason. Mother fucking school life, I finally did it! My enthusiasm is finally crawling on surface. Hope you liked it.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Evangelion, in case you didn't know that already?

-XXX-

It was their second class. He was late, but he finally came to school.

From the moment he stepped into the room Mana observed his every step, every expression and every gesticulation he made interacting with his peers. When she couldn't eavesdrop she read the words from his lips. He sat down in his chair, leaving her with a view of his back. He didn't notice her existence.

The gray haired boy she knew as Kaworu followed him and leaned on his desk. She couldn't hear them even from this distance, reading the lips didn't help much either. She could only see Kaworu's face, lacking the expression she needed to infer the dynamic. From what she could her and see, the boy seemed to be concerned for the other, either asking him about something she couldn't understand or general questions about his wellbeing. They were probably really close friends. She almost felt guilty about her snooping.

The bell, quickly followed by arrival of their sensei, sent Kaworu and the rest of the class on their designated seat, leaving her the opening she needed.

These few days without his presence gave her enough time to prepare her perfect entrance. Even if she failed, her military knowledge to adjust to foreign situations would lead her to success. The way he talked, things he liked, way he responded, she got it all covered. It was time for him to meet her. After all, he was her chosen one.

Mana typed him a message: _turn around_.

When he did so and his blue eyes met hers, she smiled and gave him a short wave, changing his expression from curious to confused. After a brief moment he responded with a short wave as well, trying not to alarm their sensei. Mana pointed at his laptop, then started to type something in hers.

The boy turned back and read her message. _My name is Mana. Pleasure to meet you_, it said.

He quickly typed his response. _Pleasure to meet you too. My name is Shinji._ He paused for a second, probably to think of something to prolong the conversation. No one settles with greetings alone when being addressed by someone with intent to converse. His supplement came. _Sorry. I didn't know we had a new transfer. Hope you like it here._

As expected. She smiled, then started typing her reply. She had to structure everything carefully, be polite to relax him and prolong it enough for him to take interest on his own, avoid anything direct to avoid bad impression and always end with subtle question he'd have to reply because of good manners. Always protract, stay on course, direct it somewhere.

_No need to apologize, silly, _Mana wrote. _I'm just glad to finally meet my new neighbor, since everyone else around here is very kind. I only had few problems on the first day. Those corridors almost killed me. _

_Yeah, the corridors are always horrible._ Shinji replied. _Try to come few minutes earlier, there's not much traffic around 07: 45. And I wouldn't recommend rushing in cafeteria on the breaks._

He's polite as expected. For now polite greetings will suffice. She'd gladly listen to few of his directions and play the role of oblivious girl, even if she was here for three days and already received a detailed briefing from her female classmates. It all lead to casual conversation she desired.

_Hh. If someone told me that sooner. _She replied. _Though, I already gave up on that nightmare. I'm buying my meals beforehand, and I'm still wondering how the rest of you still cope with all that. _

_Oh. I gave up as well. I started making my own bento after two weeks or so. I don't know how other people manage it, though. _

_Seriously? I'm not trying to sound offensive or anything, but it's quite strange to see a guy who knows how to cook?_

Mana already knew he could cook, but this time, however, ignorance is bliss. She even tasted his masterpiece thanks to Asuka, who, for a reason still unknown to her, had the privilege to feast on it almost every day. The time of his absence was an exception she replaced with the finest instant packages from nearby stores. Spoiled princess. She'd have to find out the reason for her privilege. From what she heard from the other girls she forced him to do it. Mana felt relieved to hear that, but the real reason for it was still an unknown. Well, nothing she couldn't find out in due time.

_It's nothing special, _came his reply. _I only know the basics. Anyone could do it better than me._

_Not if you ask me_, Mana thought smilingly. Compared to everything she ate his bento was something extraordinary. In comparison to cafeteria food it was divinity. But she liked his modesty. One more positive trait she appreciated.

_If you tasted my cooking you'd think otherwise_, she replied. _I learned the difference between sugar and pepper at the age of 11, and honestly I still have no idea about anything kitchen-related. My attempt from last week looked like a product of satanic ritual._

Shinji unconsciously slipped a chuckle, an act that caught some of the attention from the class. He cleaned his throat to mask it, then buried his head in his laptop, pretending to be oblivious to everything. Mana just observed smilingly.

_Sorry about that_, she sent him.

_It's ok, I was unprepared_, he replied.

One small step at the time. Humor is something that's appreciated by everyone, a small step to build her image. And with that accomplished, it was time to move onto the next stage.

_You know, while you weren't here, I was given your laptop… so I was wondering if there are any hard feelings? _

_No. Of course not! I really don't mind, _came his quick reply.

_Oh. I'm relieved. Though, I still feel bad about it… you know what? I'll make it up for you. I'm buying you a drink? How about that? _

_It's really unnecessary. You really don't have to, _he replied.

_Hey, it's a free drink. _

_It's ok, really_, he replied. _You don't owe me anything._

She didn't expect this course, yet she found it amusing. This was the first time she met a guy that refused a free drink, and on top of that, a drink from a girl. Odds of that happening didn't exist in her book, until now that is. Though, it didn't matter. She got her priorities straight. Little did he know that refusal makes people bite even harder, especially girls.

_I insist. My consciousness won't rest until I make it up for you. And you don't seem like a guy that would like to see a girl suffering, right? _

She could hear him sigh in defeat, sweet, sweet sound of victory. She caught him looking at her from the corner of his eyes, then gave him a warm smile that was bound to assure him. He turned, then typed his reply.

_Ok then. I wouldn't mind a soda._

_Only a soda? Jeez. I'm buying you a fruit shake? You like that, right?_

_Yes, but that's too expensive. I'm fine with soda, honestly. _

_Fruit shake it is. You said it's ok so don't go back on your word. _

Mana could her him sigh again, a music for her ears.

_Fine_, he replied. _I mean, thank you_, he corrected.

Score. The stage was finally set and there were no complications whatsoever. She'd led him to vending machines, a place far away from the eyes of their classmates. They'd be alone and they could finally have an eye to eye conversation, hopefully about more casual things. She'd tell him jokes, say some casual things about the class, listen carefully to everything he says, relax him and see where she's at. If it went smoothly, he'd get interested and sooner or later her plan would come to life. It was perfect.

She continued to send him messages, he'd always reply with the same amount of interest. Message after message, she got into it more and more. The sound of sensei's lectures faded from her head, along with every sound from her class. For that short period her monitor became the centre of her world.

After some time she lost the track of time and her composure went to hell. They moved their topics from news to school, from school to homework, from homework to food, from food to town. There were no pauses and no indications of conclusion; it was just an aimless chatter about everything and nothing, one small thing she missed a lot.

When her female classmates sent her a message, she replied as briefly and unwilling as possible, then quickly turned back to her main interest. Mana had no use of them now, they were bothersome. They drank her blood through the straw for three days whole. She needed a breather, and Shinji was more than she cold ever hope for. Yes. He was their complete opposite.

He was nice to her, he accepted her without any prejudice, he took an interest, and he didn't demand any adjustment. He was fun. For the first time since she came to this school she was having fun. Could she want anything more? Only after a few moments she realized that she did.

Mana definitely wanted more.

The familiar sound of the school bell finally called her back into the world of living. She scanned her surroundings in confusion. As she checked the clock, she noticed that the conversation sucked her in completely. It was break already? Her inner enthusiast crawled back on surface, closely followed by his brother anxiousness. It was time to treat Shinji, the moment that may as well decide their fate.

Mana slowly stood up from her seat. The moment she reached to tap Shinji's shoulder, she was interrupted by a familiar classmate that found his way between them. She blinked in confusion.

The jock grabbed Shinji around the neck and brought them cheek to cheek.

"Shin-man, where the hell were you for these past few days?" Toji asked, squeezing their heads closer. "It's not cool to leave your bros alone."

Shinji opened his mouth to protest, but was interrupted by the sudden arrival of his other classmate.

"We understand, man." Kensuke said, grabbing him by his shoulder, leading Shinji into even weirder position. "It's just that it's completely unfair. We're jealous, you know."

"I second that," Toji said as he pulled him from his seat, "Come on, man. We got some big news."

Shinji tried to free himself, but failed, their grip was too strong. "W-wait I…"

Toji hushed him with a finger. "Dude, not here. On the rooftop. You can tell us everything about that purple meat on the way."

The moment he tried to protest again, they were already dragging him through the entrance. "Guys, seriously. I'm… "The rest of his sentence was swallowed by the noise from the hallways.

Mana blinked, then blinked again. The rest of the class brushed it off like it was their daily routine. It even might be. Mana didn't know. As she walked outside of class she could hear few girls calling them primitives.

She stepped out of classroom. They were nowhere in sight. Only thing that could be seen were trains of people that didn't mean anything to her existence. Those two took him from her. They ruined it.

-XXX-

"Hey, Kirishima. We're over here."

Mana knew that voice. The owner of it was the reason she was moving in opposite direction in the first place. From the corner of her eye she could see Asuka and few other girls waving to her. The sight of them became a pain in the ass.

She turned, then waved, forcing a smile as she did. "Whoa. Didn't see you there." She replied, rubbing the back of her head. She could see them sigh and chuckle. Seeing no harm was done, she walked up to them. Denying them would be her social downfall.

"I have no idea how you forgot our meeting spot after three days of the same routine?" Asuka told her. Mana responded with a silly face. If only she knew.

"Sorry. I get confused by too many people." Mana replied with a silly smile.

"You're such a klutz," Asuka told her smilingly, tapping her on the back. "But that's ok. It would be boring if we're all the same."

You mean not you? She could live with that. With few more comments they started moving. Same old formation, same old stories. She couldn't help but to look back from time to time. They went further away from her desired place. Bad luck.

"Today we're finally having science classes, you know?" Asuka said.

Mana gave her a puzzled look. "I know. I check my schedules."

Asuka frowned. "Silly. I told you that my mother holds the classes. Remember? I told you everything about her, didn't I?"

Maybe yes, and maybe not. Not like she listened. "Oh. I think I confused it with music class."

"Pff. Music?" Asuka huffed. "What is music compared to science? It can't even be compared. And someone like my mother would never lower herself on the level of teaching music. She's even the head of school's research lab."

Hey! She loved her preschool music teacher. She always praised her for being awesome with the triangle. "Yeah. What was I even thinking?" Mana replied without a trace of sarcasms.

Asuka nodded. "So, I noticed you were mashing your keyboard during the class. Were you talking to someone?"

"What?" Mana blinked, the itch on her neck indicated on trouble. "No. I was playing something on the internet."

If she told her she was talking to girls, Asuka could easily find out that they exchanged only few trivial messages. If she told her that she was speaking to a boy, she would tell her that she's an idiot, and she would probably ask her who it was. Either way it wouldn't end well. And why was she so scared of her?

Asuka looked her in the eyes, then looked away. "I see." she replied soberly, then changed her expression to more lively one. "Which reminds me, I always forget to send you a code to our room. Be sure to remind me to send it by the end of the day."

Forgot? Like hell she forgot. It was a damn time. And what gave her the right to monopolize the relations anyway?

Mana nodded meekly. It was not like she could do anything about it anyway. Asuka was immense authority, and scary as hell when she wanted to be. The previous look in her eyes was enough for her to stay in place. She asked herself more than once if someone was dumb enough to question her authority.

"And don't use it during my mother's lectures. It's interesting, so pay attention." Asuka told her in almost demanding manner. But it was not like she wasn't used to hearing her telling everyone what to do in most nonchalant ways.

Mana nodded.

She spent the rest of her way to cafeteria listening to Asuka's one-sided debate about something she had no idea about. Something German-ish, like a plant or something? She would never find out.

They sat on their usual spot, and soon after they were joined by two more girls. One of them was Hikari Horaki, her class president she had a pleasure of knowing for these few days. She was helpful and very kind to talk with. Not to mention that she was the one of very few that weren't complete drones. She was a person she could imagine being friends with and discuss something that was not a makeup or figure. Unless it was about boys. Hikari was completely hopeless in that matter.

"Hy," both girls greeted, then took their seats around the table.

"Hey, Hikari." Asuka addressed her, then waited until she got comfy in her seat. "You're hanging out with that little bitch Suazahara, right?"

Hikari gave her a look. She was the only one Mana ever saw to dare. After a brief staring contest Asuka turned her head away, then frowned. "Fine. You're hanging with little miss perfect Sakura Suzahara, right?"

Hikari smiled. "We could say so."

"So, why is that wench parading like she owns the school?" Asuka asked, crossing her arms.

Hikari shook her head. "Believe it or not she was elected as the prettiest girl of 2-A."

"By who?" Asuka asked mockingly.

"Pretty much every boy that voted," Hikari replied, eying Asuka, "And that's a really big number."

"Oh really?" she said with a raised eyebrow. "Well, whatever. I'm just sick of her bitchy attitude."

"And she found a boyfriend…" Hikari added, throwing the most off balance. They exchanged few looks among themselves, then gave Hikari their full attention. Asuka shrugged at first, but joined them soon after. Mana wasn't anything better. Gossiping was gossiping, it was wrong, but it was fun.

"So who is it?" one of the girls asked.

"Well, he's an upperclassman. I don't know the name or class, though." Hikari replied.

"Bah. That's too little."

"So, what did her idiot brother say about that?" Asuka asked her.

"Well, I heard he was infuriated at first. Apparently they met and had an all out struggle." Hikari replied, rising everyone's interest once again.

"So, how did that end?" She replied in amusement.

"Nothing special I hear. They argued, then pushed one another… boy stuff, I guess." Hikari shrugged, opening her bento. "In the end Toji found out that her new boyfriend owned a private baseball court, so now he's calling him brother."

"Lowest of the low," Asuka commented, her voice hinted disappointment. It was probably due to lack of Suzahara blood.

Hikari muttered something in her chin, Mana couldn't hear the words clearly, and neither did Asuka. Not one paid much attention to it. They all got busy with their meals.

Mana knew Hikari's secret crush. It wasn't anything secret to be honest. One look at Hikari's face around him and everything comes clear as a day. Not to mention the look Hikari made when she heard her crush being badmouthed. She just couldn't get why she kept it so secretive. There was nothing wrong with it. Fear of rejection? Shyness? Lack of support? Yes. She could bet on the latter.

Mana leaned a bit lower in her chair, then poked Hikari's foot with her own. The girl's brown eyes adverted to her blue ones. Hikari gave her a puzzled look.

Mana formed a heart with her arms and said Toji's name without sound, an act that made Hikari blush like crazy. When she regained her cool Mana gave her a positive smile and two thumbs up, forcing her to cover her mouth with both palms, but her chuckle caught some attention. They both started to idly pick around their meals, waiting for the other girls to do the same.

When she felt that the coast was clear, Hikari eyed her and gave her a meek smile and one thumb up, on which Mana responded with clenched fist that suggested her approval. Hikari shrugged smilingly, then moved her gaze back down on her plate, the smile never left her face. Mana did the same.

She could see herself being friends with Hikari in future. Why not? In a way they had a same problem. There would be plenty of things to talk about. She could help her, and in return, Hikari could help her as well. It would work.

She returned to her meal.

-XXX-

Mana was surprised by the unfamiliar object that waited her on her desk. She sat down, observing the bottle of fruit shake before her. She looked above and saw Shinji sitting in his desk and smiling at her.

"What's with this? Didn't we agree on something else?" She asked him in confusion.

He rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah. But… I felt bad for breaking the deal… so I decided to make up to you."

Mana placed her palm around the bottle. "Very original." She pushed the bottle in his way. "I can't take it. It's rightfully yours."

He pushed the bottle back in her way. "No. This is my apology to you."

She pushed it back. "But I owe it to you anyway." She told him with faked irritation.

He pushed it back. "It's fair since I broke the promise." He smiled.

She pushed it back. "It's not fair because I'd break mine." She grinned.

He pushed it back. "But then I'd be the one who'd feel bad." He grinned.

"You take it,"

"No. You."

"You.

She could hear wising in the background. They both looked around and saw the whole class staring in their way. Some of them were chuckling, some whistling and some whispering. They both turned red and faced from one another, both settling in their seats.

She felt five murderous glares, but couldn't tell from where. Her head was bowed, and she felt too embarrassed to look up.

How could she let this happen? It was completely awkward. More than anything she wanted to be swallowed by the ground. Not only that they came off as lovely idiots, but there was also a big chance this would scare him off. What if people started to ask question? The awkwardness could destroy their infantile relationship.

The anxiousness was killing her. She wanted to send him a message, to see if they were still ok. The bottle was still resting on her table. It didn't belong here. It was rightfully his, no matter what he thought about it. Schemes aside, this was the nicest and most thoughtful thing she'd ever seen from someone she knew for maybe few hours. Not to mention the thrill and the rhythm of her beats when they played their little game.

Mana placed her fingers on the keys, but was unable to type anything. It was just too awkward, and the words weren't coming to her. She felt lost.

She leaned on her chair and relaxed. She could still feel someone looking at her. Someone or some people didn't like what they saw. Why? She didn't even want to know. Who? That was a good question. She wanted to find out but couldn't. Her gaze was locked on her desk. She was still too embarrassed to look up.

The best she could do was to solemnly listen to Fuyutsuki-sensei and keep herself from exposure. So what if her plan failed? She still had time. She had all the time she needed.

It was not over.

-XXX-

Science class. Hurray. It was the epitome of boredom. She probably wouldn't mind if this wasn't her first encounter with the subject, and as it turned out, her science was on the same level as her cooking.

Mrs. Soryu was just the way she'd imagined her. She was cold, bitter, proud and surprisingly great looking woman that emitted fear across the whole classroom. Her daughter was her little clone, maybe even less bitchy.

The woman could sniff when someone was slacking, so the only thing to do was to stare at the blackboard, or somewhere beyond the blackboard. Either way it was a more interesting option. Fuyutsuki-sensei was nice and humorous, and his lectures weren't even nearly demanding as this. Heck, even if someone didn't follow they'd still get the prints that had almost everything explained perfectly. Only now she started to appreciate his effort and experience. Compared to his class this was torture.

The classroom was way different. Instead of one person seat, they were sitting in lines of four, all circling around the throne of redhead nemesis. She'd expect this of collage, but not from high school. Well, they were elite school? Probably.

Shinji was sitting three rows lower, together with his two kidnapers and that Kaworu guy. She couldn't help but to glance at him every now and then, and almost every time she felt someone's eyes on her. One time she even caught him looking in her way, but he quickly looked away. She didn't know for sure. She hoped he was looking. She hoped that he was worried as she was. Or felt at least a bit like she was. Who knows?

"Miss. Mana." an angry voice called her. Crap.

"Y-yes?" She stammered, noticing how everyone in the room was looking in her way.

"I'd appreciate if you stopped ogling Mister Ikari and focus on my class?" The woman told her bitterly, giving her the look she wouldn't forget for a time being.

She bowed her head, then muttered a short apology.

After a brief moment of silence, Soryu looked away and continued with her lectures. Mana took a chance and looked around one more time. She caught few people looking in her way, the expressions of their face didn't tell her much. They all looked away and joined the lectures.

She felt like dying once again. This time, however, the urge was even stronger. If she didn't blow it by now, well, now it was definite. The chances of accomplishing something with Shinji went lower and lower. Her chances of coming off as something more than a simple airhead in the eyes of her female peers slipped further and further.

The future didn't look so bright after all. Though, one thing was certain: all redheads were coldhearted, power-hungry bitches. That thing was undeniable. If they wanted to dominate her so badly, then fine, she'd go along with it.

She glued her eyes on the blackboard, hoping the time would go faster. All she wanted now was to go home, see her daddy and forget this day. This was their last class. After that she'd take a nice, pleasant walk home, then she's take a warm, relaxing shower, then she would masturbate, and then she would take a long afternoon nap. This didn't matter. This was only today. Tomorrow is a new day.

-XXX-

Mana could finally breathe freely. She walked down the school's stairs and continued down the walkway. There crowds were long gone. She could finally…

"Mana-san?" a voice called her, throwing her off balance. She turned to meet a source of it. The strange rhythm of her heartbeat appeared again.

"Oh. Didn't see you there," She told him.

Shinji rubbed the back of his head, then pulled out something from his bag. "Um… you forgot this… so." He handed her the bottle. Only now she remembered that she left it on her desk.

"I already told you that it's yours." She replied with raised arms.

"Yeah, I know." He swallowed, avoiding eye contact. "Though, I can't drink it. It doesn't feel right for some reason. And it would be a waste if I left it there."

"Someone else would take it. It wouldn't be a waste then." Mana told him with a smirk.

The boy's face produced a faint shade of pink. "Yeah… but since I paid for it… and I bought it to you… I mean…"

"Relax," She intervened. "I'll accept it." His face relaxed. He offered it to her, but she moved it away. "But on one condition."

He gave her a puzzled look. "O-okay…"

"I'll take it but I'll threat you with one as well. That way we'll both be satisfied. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Oh. Sure, that sounds fair" He smiled, offering her the bottle. She took it, their hands touched in the process. She pretended like she didn't notice, his face didn't undergo any visible changes.

"So, when do want your gift?" She eyed him, licking her lip unconsciously. "If you're ok with it we can hit the shop down the road. I believe it's nicer to drink in company."

"I'd like to but… I'm kind of waiting for someone to pick me up."

"Oh." She paused. "Then we could go some other time?"

"Sure. Um, I'll probably be busy tomorrow, so if it's fine with you schedule… tomorrow or day after…"

"Friday it is then." She announced.

"Um. Good."

"Good."

The silent, spell-bound moment of silence came between them. Her blue eyes observed his. After a brief moment Shinji opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a sudden honk that froze them both in place. They both turned in unison and saw a black van parking on the pavement.

"That's my ride," He finally said.

She acknowledged it with a nod.

"Um. See you tomorrow in school," He told her as he approached the van.

"Yeah," She waved him. "See you tomorrow,"

The car stopped and its windows slid open. The familiar face came in view. Someone she didn't expect or even want to see.

"Hello, Shinji dear." The woman greeted. "Hope I'm not too late?"

"No. It's ok, Mrs. Soryu." He replied, opening the backseat doors.

He turned back to Mana and waved, then entered the car, far away from her reach, all she could do was sent him off with a wave. The red haired woman was now looking at her with a wry smile on her face.

"Good day Miss. Kirishima," The woman offered politely. The look in her eyes suggested otherwise. Mana wanted nothing more than an opportunity to tear that smile off her face.

Mana bowed slightly. With that done, the woman started the car and drove away. Mana observed the car until it disappeared in the distance, and even after it was gone she continued to stare in the same direction, as she was hypnotized by it.

Few moments passed until she regained her senses. She shook her head, then walked away. It was strange. One moment of her happiness was always got destroyed the moment after. Couldn't those Soryu pests just leave her be? She had no idea about their relationship. She wanted to ignore it, but things got weirder and weirder.

But she could handle that. Those two were unimportant. Maybe they did play a bigger role in her daily life, but unimportant none the less. What was important was an appointment of her and Shinji. Come to think of it, is that a date? It probably is. Whoa. She was perhaps moving it too soon? It depended on weather he consider it as a date or not. But then again, either way was fine. He said yes.

She smiled, and continued doing so all the way home.

-XXX-

Mana closed the doors behind her, then collapsed on her bed. She was still in her bathing clothes, but she couldn't muster any energy to rise and dress properly. Whatever. It was nighttime already, and she was tired. And yet, there was one more ritual she had in mind.

She frowned, then rolled on the other side. Her schoolbag came into view and gave her an idea. She remembered that she didn't drink her fruit shake. She rolled two more times until she could reach the bag.

She pulled it out and took a sip. It was warm. Shame. She forgot about it completely, and now it was ruined. It wasn't even about the juice. No. She could buy herself another one at any time. It was Shinji's precious gift to her. This may as well be the object that started their relationship.

She tossed it in the air and caught it when it fell, then continued to repeat the process for some time. She felt bad. The object held some significance. It contained his good will, his kindness and thoughtfulness. It was his little investment in them. She touched the bottle around the smooth edges, then passed trough its ribbed length with her finger. The plastic was smooth and design reminded her of something.

She just got the weirdest idea.

-XXX-

Up until this moment her morning was beautiful, but it was soon ruined by the sight of person that stood near her shoebox. The moment she spotted Asuka's red hair her face fell. It would be sad if it wasn't funny. She even came earlier, but that girl always found her way into her personal space. Well, she already saw her, so there was no way she'd manage to ignore her.

"Hello," Mana waved to the redhead. "I didn't know you come so early."

Asuka turned from her locker. "Mana. What a pleasant surprise."

"How's it going?" Mana asked politely. She acted it, but it never brought any harm.

"Slept like a baby. All is good with the world," Asuka replied lazily. "What's up with you? Enthusiastic as ever."

"Yeah. Same old." Mana admitted, unlocking her shoebox. The moment she pulled the small, metal doors something fell down from it. Both girls observed as the piece of paper descended to the ground.

Asuka knelt and picked it up for her. "Whoa. It looks like someone has a secret admirer." She told her, observing the yellow paper in her arms. She nodded, then offered it to her. "Congratulations. You just got a love letter."

Mana took it, then gave it a once-over. "Wow. This really is a love letter."

"What? Don't tell me you never got one?" Asuka asked in amusement.

"No," Mana replied simply. "This is actually the first time."

"Oh. Well, I get al least three every day," Asuka told her proudly.

Mana decided to think nothing of her small ego trip. She just nodded.

"So, who do you think it's from?"

Mana shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, how about you open it?"

She did so. She unfolded the paper and skipped to the bottom. "It's not signed." She stated.

"Bah. If your admirer was worth something he'd be man enough to sign his name. Boys that write anonymously are usually stooges. Thrust me."

Mana nodded, still looking at the text. There was a short poem that compared her eyes to the blueberry ice cream. Funny. She never knew that analogy like that was possible, or even poetic. There was a polite request that they meet at the bottom of the stairs during the break.

Asuka eyed her. "So… do you have someone in mind?"

Yes. Oh god yes. They might be moving too fast, but she didn't mind even the slightest. She'd accept his proposal very, very gladly. Of course, they'd have to keep it away from the public eye for the time being. Everyone would start to think funny things if she suddenly found a boyfriend after only three days of school. He'd probably understand if she explained it to him.

"No. I'm completely clueless," Mana replied.

Asuka nodded. "I don't want to be intrusive or anything, but is there anyone you like?"

"Actually no," Mana replied after a brief pause.

"You sure? Come on. You can tell me."

"I'm honest. There's no one I like. I didn't even meet a single boy in this school." Mana replied with a modulated tone. Dealing with bitchy Asuka was one thing, but hearing her lovely voice made her quiver. She was not used to this side of her.

"So you'll reject your Don Juan?"

"There's no other way, is there?"

"I guess not," Asuka told her smilingly, tapping her on the back. "Don't worry. I refused at least hundred of them. It's not that bad."

Mana offered her a faint smile.

"Anyway. Let's get going, shall we?" Asuka said, closing her locker. She turned around and started to walk, only to stop after two steps. "Are you going or not?"

It would get weird when her lie crawled on surface. Until then she could work her way higher and adjust her for the big news. She knew that Shinji and Asuka had something between them. It wasn't anything romantic. She knew that much. Though, the situation was still fishy. She'd have to think this one through until she made her move.

"I'm coming." She replied, putting the letter in her pocket.

-XXX-

The bell finally announced their long awaited break. Mana remained in her seat, observing the people that were leaving the classroom. Shinji was among them. She noticed him leaving a bit earlier than everyone else. The look on his face didn't tell her much, but she could bet that he was nervous. It was a big decision to take the initiative.

Mana rose from her seat, then strolled to the exit. She looked on her side and received a thumb up from Asuka who passed in opposite direction. It was nice to get something constructive out of her from time to time.

She stepped out and shook her head, then slapped her cheeks. She was nervous; it was inevitable for situation like this. She moved forward and found her way down the stairs.

Come to think of it, what if it wasn't Shinji? Would she mind? No. She'd probably not. She would be disappointed for sure, yet she would be relieved as well. The pacing of their progression scared her in a way. They could probably pull it out, but certain complications might arise, so in a way it was a double-edged sword.

She stepped down the last step, then looked around. A moment she appeared in the open, a guy stepped in front of her.

"I-I'm really g-glad you came." the boy stammered.

Oh hell. Nerd alert! She recognized the boy that stood before her. It was one of Shinji's friends, Kensuke or something. She offered him a pitiful smile. Damn. The boy was observing her through his thick glasses in anticipation. She'd feel bad after she kills that spark in his eyes.

"Yeah… about that," She pulled the letter from her pocked. "Look. I'm really flattered, but I'll have to return this to you." She offered the paper to him.

The boy looked down on it, then back to her. "I don't understand."

Oh shit. This was getting awkward. "What I'm trying to say is… um, I can't be your girlfriend… Sorry."

"Why not," Kensuke almost shouted at her, still enough to make her step back.

"It's really not you…" Mana paused. This was getting even dumber. "How to put it… um, I'm not ready for relationship."

"I can wait," He protested.

"Look. I'm sure you're a good guy… but I'm kind of… waiting for someone else."

"Oh," He paused, his face neutral. "You could've told me from the start."

"I didn't want to hurt yo-"

"It's ok. I understand." He interrupted, fixing his glasses. He turned away and took his leave. "So long then." He called through the hallway.

Mana offered him a compassionate smile. Though, she doubted that it would make any difference. She observed him as he went. His head was bowed and his fists were clenched and shaking. Damn. She didn't know how Asuka dealt with this, but she wasn't the type to break someone's hear like that on a daily basis and feel nothing.

She turned around and went upstairs. There was nothing she could do now. He'd have to learn how to deal with it or something. It may be her fault, but it sure wasn't her problem. She had other things to worry about.

On her way up she heard a familiar voice. She stopped, then looked above. She could see that Kaworu guy talking with someone. She continued to move, but stopped the moment she heard Shinji's voice. She leaned aside on the wall and focused on the sound.

"Why not?"

"Because…"

"Can you meet me after class?"

"I should really…"

"Look. Just meet me after class. The usual spot."

With that they both went upstairs. Mana stayed silent for a bit longer, then went up as well.

It was not unusual to see two boys arguing about something. And yet for some reason it sounded way too important to be ignored. She shook her head. It didn't matter to her. She wasn't some overly attached fangirl that had to know everything there was to know. People needed some space. Whatever they discussed was between them. And that was final. After all, she wasn't someone who'd snoop around someone else's private matters.

She stepped in the hallway and went to the cafeteria, the place where she'd tell the girls everything about her situation. It was asked of her, so she'd comply. There was nothing she could do about it.

-XXX-

Mana had no idea when, or why did she decide to play detective, but for some reason she felt like it was the only reasonable thing to do. Kaworu and Shinji passed through the corridor and entered one of the classrooms. She used some of her military knowledge to sneak around the corners and come a bit closer.

She was two classrooms away, and for now she was positive that there was no one in sight. It was only her and the two boys in that classroom. It was quiet. They probably meet here when they were sure that no one was around. It's a smart thing to do in case you did something no one should know about.

She peaked around and saw no one looking. She leaned back on the wall and crawled few more steps closer.

Things she did for love. Love? She never really thought about it on that level. Could she really go head over heals for someone she knew for maybe one day? Well, minding everything that she went though, it could as well be. What was it if it wasn't love? What a dumb question was that.

She crawled closer. Now she was almost at the doors. She still couldn't hear a single sound from their position.

How did it even come to this? Since when did Mana Kirishima become a stalker? Kindergarten maybe? But that was just for fun. This, however, had some more importance. You don't see two high school boys meeting on the empty floor after the class for no good reason. She doubted that it was anything illegal. Shinji just didn't seem like a person who'd do drugs or something similar.

Few steps further and she got a full view of everything through the half-opened sliding doors. She slid down in the sitting position and approached as close as she was allowed if she wanted to stay unnoticed. She leaned on the doors and looked inside. The moment she did, she found something she couldn't explain at first.

She saw Shinji sitting on the table, and Kaworu leaned on him, their faces only inch apart.

"I'm not ok with this anymore…" she could hear Shinji say.

"Then why did you come here with me?" Kaworu asked him smilingly.

The moment Shinji opened his mouth to protest, Kaworu leaned closer and sealed his lips with his own. The next moment he was pushing him on the table, and what came next was something that finally forced her to look away.

She covered her mouth with both of her palms. Her legs started to tremble. She couldn't believe it. They were doing it. Two boys. In the school. It didn't make any sense to her. She felt horrible. She felt like running away. She wouldn't even go home this time. No. Her home was too close. She'd run somewhere else, to the place really, really far away. She felt like it would be the appropriate thing to do.

But then again, why did she look back at them? Why did she observe everything they did so intently? Why did she envy them? Why did she want to jump in other boy's skin?

The thought of running away came to her head once more, but her brain dismissed it instantly. This was not something she could control anymore. She couldn't even look away from it. Her hand slowly reached down to her soaked panties, right above her overflowing vagina. She couldn't afford herself to get caught. She covered her mouth with one hand and started to finger herself with the other.

She didn't look away from them even for a second. They were slow and never went too far but she was doing it harder than ever. It didn't take her long to finish. The sensation ended with her silenced moan. She removed her palm from her mouth, and her other hand finally relaxed. She took a deep, silent breath and finally looked away. She pulled her arm out and brought it closer to hear face. She could see her sin all over it.

She was the sick one, not them. It came to her clearly now. It wasn't even Shinji's fault. It was her fault for mistaking kindness for love, and his fault for mistaking love with kindness. But was he the one to blame? No. It was all her. She and her stupid self.

Mana crawled away. This wasn't the pace where she should be at. She shouldn't have come here in the first place.

She crawled until she reached the stairs, then she started running. She ran as fast as she could, not looking back even once. She ran far away from Shinji, far away from the school. She ran all the way to her home. She didn't stop crying for a second.

* * *

AN: Well… this is awkward! Strange things happen here. Strange characters, strange everything, but don't take it to heart. We're still early in the story. There's a lot of things to expect… and I'm just hoping you won't run away screaming bloody murder or something. Thrust me, I'm a good guy.

Anyway. Mana seems a bit yandere… but it's just the way her character works. She is what she is, and I'm just keeping her in my vision of how it works best. And hopefully I'm making something of it.

Next chapter: More Shinji and Mana, more development, some school shenanigans and what not. You know. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, so I'll excuse myself until the next one. Thans to all people that review/fav my shit. I'm also glad to see familiar faces following me around. It's motivation enough for me. Whooosh.


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